Axle lock-nut.



N. mms. Y PATBNTBD JULY 3. woei.

s, a, Bangs. AXLE L NUT.

APPLIGATIGE I EPTJE, 1905.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application iiled September i5, 1905 Serial No. 278,570.

To ali whom it may concern: ni

Be it known that I, JOHN G. BoWLEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illi- Y nois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Axle Lock-Nuts, of which the following is a s eciiication.

My invention re etes to that class oi axle lock-nuts having shoulder portions Yadapfted to be eng ed by a locking member movable into raise central position between the shoulders of the nut and to lowered lookin position'in engagement with the shouldered ortions of the nut, such locking member bemg held in non-rotatabie vertically-movable position by means of a headed bolt or screw secured to the axle or thimble.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical, and efficient axle lock-nut.

A further object ol' the invention is to pr0- vide axle-lock-nut mechanism aving anonrotatable locking member securedto the axle or thimble skein and movable to raised position between the shoulders of the nut and to lowered locking position in engagement with such shoulders, whereby the axle-nut may be removed Without removing the locking member and the looking member moved to locking and unlockin ositions While encircled by the ila e of t e ub.

Other an further objects of the invention will appear from an examination of the draw-V in s and the following description and claims. e invention consists in a shouldered axle-VY nut provided with a locking member mountl' ed inside the shoulderedrportions of the nut and movableto Ylocking and unlock' posi-fV ti on such locking member being Liiapted when in raised or unlocking position to permit the axle-nut to rotate around it and when in locking position to prevent such rotation.n It consists, further and finally, in the fi" tures, combinations, and details; of construction hereinafter described and claimed. Y

In the accompanyin drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a s ein or end portion of an axle provided with my improved axle lock-nut, showing the hub and'whel'nsec tion; Fig. 2, a central lo itndinal sectiona elevation of the end portion oftheY axle and the lock-nut mecharn'srn, showing the locking member in lookin position; Fig. 3, an en view of the heade bolt; 4, a view in elevation of the locking member; F' 5, an end view of the lock-nut meehansm,]sgl1owing the VVVlocking member in raised or unlocking position; and Fi 6, a simiar view showing the locking mem er in lowered locking position.

In constructing an axle provided Ywidzh my improved axle-lock-nut mechanism I provide an axle c, havin an end ortion or skein b, u on which the ub c of t e wheel is rotatab ymoimted in any ordinary and well-known manner, the axle and skein or thimble being of any desired and common ty e. The extreme outer end portions of tlie skein are threaded inthe usual manner forreceiving the axle-nut, by means of which the wheels are held in operative position. The hub of an ordinary wheel is provided with a flange d, which, as is weil known to those skilled in the art, ordinaril encircles the axle-nut mechanism. It is ereiore desirable to provide a locking axlenut having a locking member adapted toibo readily moved to locking and unlocking position While encircled by the revent the possibility of the nut Vbecorniiig oosened by Ythe backward rotation of the wheei. Each of the wheels is preferably fitted with e'. lock-nut mechanism identical in construction, and it is therefore oni deerrie'id'V necessary to describe one ot suc lock-nut mechanisms in order to enable those skilled in the art to understand and practice Vthe invention.

A threaded nut c isprovided for each thimble or skein and mounted in threaded en agement therewith, as shown in 2, suc nut haringen annular ange f, adapted to hold the hub of the Wheel 1n position upon the skeiiior thirnble. The peripheralportion of thennt is made angular` or s nare in the ordi- VQrnanner, so as to enab eine nut to be rea ily turned by means of a wrench, and the squared or octagonal portion of the nut is provided with shoulders g, which project outward beyond the face of the nut outside of its threaded axial perforation and form spaces h therebetween. A bolt or screw i, having a head j, is mounted in threaded en ement with tieeleii'or thimble at the axia center thereof, withits headed end extending outward beyond' the end of the thimble. The neck of the bolt just inside the head is provided With a squared or angular ortion Ic, the lower side loi which extends ownward below the line ofthe cylindrical bod? portion of the bolt and the upper ed e m o which is in line with the up er edge o the cylindrical body portion of t e bolt.V In other Words,

flanged portion of the hub and adapted to this squared neck portion of the bolt is eccentric, and its sides are substantially parallel and vertical.

A locking member n is provided, having a substantially annular main body portion in the form of a disk or washer and having a squared axial opening o, through which the squared neck portion of the bolt extends. The lower part of this disk-like locking member is provided with a depending locking-lug portion p of a Width corresponding to the width of the spaces h between the projecting shoulders g of the nut, such lug being of less length than the diameter of the axial opening in the locking member. When the locking member is in raised unlocking position, as shown in Fig. 5, the nut ma encircle and rotate entirely around it. hen the lockmg member is 1n lowered or locking position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6, the locking-lu portion extends between the lowermost s oulders of the nut and holds it securely against rotation.

To permit the movement of the locking member to raised unlocking and lowere locking position, its axial opening is of such length from top to bottom as to permit its vertical movement in sliding en agement with the squared neck portion oft e bolt t', and such neck portion is eccentric not only with relation to the main body portion of the bolt, but also with relation to the nut and skein, bein below its axial center. By this means it will be readily seen that the upper edge of the squared neck portion of the bolt ermits the locking member to be lowered to ocking position and that the lower ed e of such squared neck portion engages the ocking member when in raised posltlon and prevents it from being raised so as to interfere with the rotation of the nut when being removed. The rotation of the nut around such locking member is thus permitted when the locking member is in raised unlocked position.

In order to rovide additional security against the acci ental loosening of the locking member, its depending lug is provided with a lip portion g, which projects slightly beyond its inner surface, so as to engage the nut sufficiently to prevent the locking member from being accidentally moved to unlocking osition. The lip is sufficiently short an inclined to permit the locking member to be raised to unlocking dposition by means of upward pressure when esired.

The locking member constructed as above described, with the vertical side walls of its axial perforation in sliding en a ement with the eccentric neck portion o t e bolt, efliciently holds the nut against rotation. When in raised unlockin position, it enables the axle-nut to be rea ily removed and replaced While encircled by the ange ofthe hub. The possibility of the axle-nuts being unscrewed by the backward rotation of the vehicle- Wheels is thus entirely obviated and the danger of accidental removal o1" the wheels removed.

I claim- 1. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a shouldered nut provided with an axial perforation, a locking member having a portion movable into loc-king engagement with the shoulders of the nut and into unlocking position between the shoulders and the axial center of the shouldered portion of the nut, and means for supporting such locking member in locking and unlocking positions. A

2. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a shouldered threaded nut, a locking member movable transvcrsel of the nut into engagement with the shou dered portion of the nut and adapted to permit such nut to encircle and pass thereover when the locking member is in unlocking position, means for movably supporting such locking member, and a skein member rovided with a threaded ortion on an in threaded engagement wit which such nut 1s mounted.

3. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a shouldered nut, a locking member movable into engagement with the shoulder portions of the nut and adapted to permit such nut to encircle and pass thereover when the locking member is in unlocking position, and a supporting-bolt extending throu h the axial center of the nut and throu h t e locking member for supporting such ocking member non-rotatably and in vertically-movable position.

4. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a shouldered nut having an axial perforation, a locking member rovided wit a perforation having substantially parallel side wall portions, a supportin member provided with side portions in sli 1n engagement with the side walls of the per oration in the locking member and ada ted to permit the vertical movement of suc locking member thereon.

5. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a shouldered nut, a headed bolt extending through such nut and provided with a neck portion having substantially vertical sides, and a locking member provided with a erforation having substantially parallel si e Walls in slidin engagement with the neck portion of the bolt movable to unlocking position and to lowered position in locking engagement Wi th the shouldered portion of the nut, such locking member being supported in both locking and unlocking positions by the bolt.

6. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a shouldered nut, a headed bolt extending through the nut and provided With a neck portlon having substan- IOO IIO

tially verticai Sides, and a locking'imember provided with e perforation having substantially vertical side welis in sliding engagement with the neck portion of the bolt and having e portion movable to raised unlockinfr position between the shoulders and the axie center of the shouldered portion of the nut and to lowered position in locking engagement with the shouldered portion of the nut.

7. In mechanisms of the class described,

i'the combination of a shouldered nut, e heed- "ed holt extending through such nut and proi `the bolt diidi' having vided with an eccentric neck portion having suhstentiellf Vertical sides, a locking inemberirovidod with a perforation having substentiell vertical side wallsin Siidng engagemexilt'witli the eccentric neck portion of a portion movable to raised unlocking position between the shoulders end thef'exiel center of the shouldered portion 'of thefnut and to lowered position in iocking engagement with such shouidered portion of the nut; and en axle member provided with e threaded portion upon which such nut is mounted.

8. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a shouldered threaded mit, e. headed bolt extending through the nut and provided with a s uered neck portion, n, locking member provided with e. perforation having substantially paraiiei vertical side wells in sliding en agement with the squared neck portion of t e bolt nioahie to raised unlocking position and to iowered osition in iockin engagementzwith the shoulldered portion o1ig the nut, and e skein provided with a threaded end portion in threaded engagement with such nut and having a, central axial perforation in which such bolt is mounted.

JOHN G. BOWLES. Witnesses:

HARRY I. CROMER, JENNIE A. MACEDWARD. 

